Dancing on Water
by Sky Slayer
Summary: AU. Annabeth Chase could not fathom how a man like Percy Jackson was at the epicentre of a world at war.


**A/N: /scratches the back of my head sheepishly/ Well, uh, hiya PJO fandom...who I haven't seen in months...:D? Yeah, really no excuse, I'm so so so so sorry for leaving you hanging the way I did but I completely lost my vibe for 'The Last Dance' but then I decided I loved my canon OTP too much to scrap this SO hopefully you'll enjoy this one much more than the other. For fans that have read the disaster that was 'The Last Dance', I know I've changed the idea up a little (from what you see so far), but when I went back the dance didn't click well with the rest of the plot so I scrapped it in place of a more befitting idea.**

**I decided to have this up in time for Percy's birthday, so here ya have it!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own PJO.**

**Summary (FULL): **Annabeth Chase was the only daughter of the globally-known scientist, Dr. Chase. Known for her own intellect and graceful looks, it wasn't a surprise that the suitors started pouring in as soon as she hit 16. Annabeth scorned the idea of arranged marriages, but never in her wildest dreams had she imagined being married into a world of pure and utter chaos that her new-found husband was bred in.

* * *

**Chapter 1: The Greenest Eyes / Prologue**

**"**_**She was quietly led up the stairs, her father's grip warm and reassuring. Soon, too soon, he was letting her go and gently pushing her into someone else's arms, someone arms who were equally as warm. A sense of belonging settled over her like a security blanket, and she found her head raising as her soon-to-be husband lifted her veil over her head.**_**"**

* * *

_"Father, this isn't right!" The younger of the duo yelled, his hands balled into fists at his side. His father stood across the room, leaning over his desk while eyeing his heir with a look of exasperation._

_"Perseus, I don't think you understand the complications this war had brought upon us and the whole family," the man began tiredly, as if he had given this speech a dozen times before. Which he had. His son just didn't understand everything that was soon to come, but nobody knew Kronos better than his sons, and he knew there would be elevation in the attacks soon enough. "You have to understand I am not enjoying this anymore than you are."_

_They simply couldn't wait that long. They needed more brain power on their side, by any means necessary. Even if it meant pawning off their kin, their children. A supposed sin in the eyes of his 18-year old son, Perseus Jackson, who was better known as Percy. Said boy, or man, paced around the office angrily, not knowing how to process the situation._

_"You're using her, dad," he tried once more. "She's not an object, a resource. She's a living human being!"  
_

_"Percy...desperate times call for desperate measures, my son."_

* * *

Annabeth Chase stood there, staring forlornly at her reflection as her mother's maids messed with her hair and smeared that toxic waste called makeup across her tanned skin. It was amusing, really, how fast her parents had managed to find what they considered a 'suitable' match for her. Almost as if they had been waiting to throw her into someone else's arm and be done with her. But of course she knew she was simply dismayed at the fact she was getting married. Getting married to someone she didn't know.

Growing up, her mother had always told her about how she had a natural beauty, an air of grace. With blonde curls that fell about her shoulders and a tanned complexion from spending countless days out in her backyard under the sun, she was definitely a sight for sore eyes. Not only that, but her stormy-gray eyes were a gift that she had inherited from her birth mother, Athena; Annabeth had never met the woman in her life, who had vanished during her pregnancy and left Annabeth on her father's doorstep.

"Dear, you look gorgeous!" Susan Chase, her stepmother, offered her a warm smile filled with pride, breaking through her secluded thoughts. She smiled back tiredly, the stiffness of her hair and the powders caking her face already getting to her. Why go through the trouble for someone she didn't know? Annabeth hadn't even been allowed to meet her suitor, much less see what he looked like.

"Thank you, mother," she murmured softly. She had to admit, she did look pretty; her hair had been separated into ringlets, half of it pinned whilst the rest dangled around her shoulders. Her dress was an innocent cut, the sweetheart neck curving into a backless dress with a train that stretched on for what seemed like miles. Her makeup, surprisingly, was light, consisting of minimal powder, with eye-shadow and mascara causing her eyes to pop. Diamonds glistened from their spots around her neck, hair and ears, giving her an angelic glow.

"Susan, dear? Is she ready?" Her father's voice floated into the room from the other side of the closed door, catching all their attentions. Thanking the maids that had aided her quickly, she straightened out and waited for her father to walk into the room. When he did, his eyes immediately began to water.

His little girl stood there, in white, all grown up.

She turned, offering her dad a quick smile before he embraced her softly, as if she was a piece of glass he could break with the slightest amount of pressure. He knew, however, she was so much more than that, so much _stronger _than that. Fredrick Chase knew his daughter would take on whatever was thrown her way; it's why he agreed to this arrangement. As his wife and daughter conversed quietly, he lost himself in his memories...

_"Sir, there's someone here to see you," his assistant told him politely. "What shall I say?"_

_Looking up from the paperwork momentarily, Dr. Chase waved his hand around in the air, signalling for whoever it was to be let in._ Probably just another potential business partner_, he mused. What he didn't expect was for Poseidon to walk into his office with a young man who's facial features were similar to the warlord's own in tow. Straightening up in shock and partial fear, Dr. Chase watched the duo seat themselves in front of him. "Hello sir, is there...something I could help you with?"_

_Poseidon couldn't help but smile inwardly. Despite the man's obvious fright, he spoke to him with a levelled voice and looked him in the eye; he liked that. If the daughter was anything like him, which he had heard she was, then it would be a perfect match. Part of him regretted using his son the way he was, but it had to be done. They needed to level out the playing fields. "Yes, Dr. Chase...I believe you have a daughter of age for marriage?"_

_Dr. Chase's eyebrow rose in an act to hide surprise. Out of all the things he'd excepted from the intimidating man, that was at the bottom of the list. But it was obvious he knew about Annabeth, and lying wasn't going to get them anywhere. "I...yes, sir, I do."_

_"Good," a smile lit up Poseidon's face; this may be easier than he originally planned. He was most definitely the least violent of the trio of brothers he came from, but at the same time, he could get very, very dangerous very, very quickly. He was thankful that none of that was necessary, however, since the inventor before him seemed sincerely honest. "I was wondering if we could talk about arranging a marriage between your daughter and my son here."_

_Dr. Chase sucked in a breath. This wasn't happening, was it? A warlord's son for his daughter? His hands started, slowly, balling into fists out of sheer anxiety, a feat that didn't go unnoticed by both the marine and his son. "Sir, I don't think-"_

_"Contrary to popular belief," Poseidon countered, interrupting what was no doubt a rejection, a dismissal, speech, his voice hardening. "I can assure you my family is nothing like what the rumours paint us to be; your daughter will be in good hands. __My son is a kind soul who would never hurt her, much less be the root cause of her misery."_

_Dr. Chase stared at the man uncertainly, his brain whirling. He knew of the power and fortunes that the warlords possessed, and he could see sincerity in the eyes of Poseidon. Eyes wandering, he gazed down at the son for a moment before making up his mind, finality coursing through his veins. He'd have to go with his instincts, his gut, and pray nothing went wrong. For his daughter's sake._

_"Fine, sir, when shall we place the wedding?"_

He shook himself out of his thoughts, watching as everyone assembled and fell into line behind Annabeth, who stood there holding a bouquet of white roses.

His gut...his gut feeling had never been wrong. He hoped the bad luck and misfortune wouldn't start with his daughter.

* * *

Annabeth felt her gut drop further and further into her stomach as she stepped down the aisle, closer and closer towards her bindings. Closer and closer to having her free spirit snuffed out, her mind restrained. She felt herself beginning to panic; her father wouldn't pick someone horrendous for her, would he?

He leaned over and whispered in her ear, "Annabeth, dear, his name is Perseus Jackson."

_Perseus Jackson. So that's his name._

She was quietly led up the stairs, her father's grip warm and reassuring. Soon, too soon, he was letting her go and gently pushing her into someone else's arms, someone arms who were equally as warm. A sense of belonging settled over her like a security blanket, and she found her head raising as her soon-to-be husband lifted her veil over her head.

And she found herself staring into the greenest eyes she'd ever seen in her life.

During the vows, in which she spent no time listening to, she observed the serene man in front of her, taking in all his features. Messy black hair topped his head, and his tanned skin seemed aglow, emerald eyes as calm as the sea. He was handsome, extremely so, and Annabeth couldn't help but wonder how, or more so why, he would agree to an arranged marriage.

She began speaking her well-rehearsed lines. "I, Annabeth Chase, take you, Perseus Jackson, to be my lawfully wedded husband, secure in the knowledge that you will be my constant friend, my faithful partner in life, and my one true love. On this special day, I affirm to you in the presence of God and all those in attendance my sacred promise to stay by your side as your faithful wife in sickness and in health, in joy and in sorrow, as well as through the good times and the bad.

I further promise to love you without reservation, comfort you in times of distress, encourage you to achieve all of your goals, laugh with you and cry with you, grow with you in mind and spirit, always be open and honest with you, and cherish you for as long as we both shall live."

He began speaking in a deep, comforting baritone. "I, Perseus Jackson, take you, Annabeth Chase, to be my lawfully wedded wife, knowing in my heart that you will be my constant friend, my faithful partner in life, and my one true love. On this special day, I affirm to you in the presence of God and all those in attendance my sacred promise to stay by your side as your faithful husband in sickness and in health, in joy and in sorrow, as well as through the good times and the bad. I further promise to love you without reservation, honour and respect you, provide for your needs as best I can, protect you from harm, comfort you in times of distress, grow with you in mind and spirit, always be open and honest with you, and cherish you for as long as we both shall live."

"Do you, Perseus Jackson, accept Annabeth Chase as your wife?"

His eyes found her's again, and an emotion she couldn't place lit up behind them.

"I do."

"And do you, Annabeth Chase, accept Perseus Jackson as your husband?"

She took in a deep breath, gulping down her fear before facing her new life situation with a steely resolve. "I do."

"I now present to you, Perseus and Annabeth Jackson!"

Among the cheering and clapping, Annabeth couldn't have been able to tell which of those eyes and smiles belonged to foes and which to allies, or which to old faces and which to new friends. Nor could she have ever fathomed just what, exactly, she was getting herself into, the day of her marriage. A day that seemed so, so far ago, when in reality it hadn't been that long.

A day she found herself recalling as she stood surrounded by burning fires and dead bodies alike, her skin covered in blood, sweat and tears.

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**A/N: Well, I nitpicked at this for weeks in-between working on my other fanfics and I hope you enjoyed it despite it being a tad shorter than what I hoped for ; v ; I hope Poseidon wasn't too OOC during the flashback, because I've always thought of him to be level-headed unless times called for his brashness.**

**Furthermore, this chapter hopefully foreshadowed the problems to come, and if you read 'TLD' you'll know some of the ideas/concepts I'm slowly starting to reveal already. However, I do need your opinions on one thing; should the story be slowly-paced, or a more quick-pace like it's first draft was? Well, not that fast, but fast enough that I'll keep you on the edges of your seat; or shall I drag it out, in the sense where there's more 'in-between' material (for lack of a better term)? I'd love to hear your ideas, or I'll pace like I am/do for my other fic(s).**

**Despite FP being written even worse than this, I felt I owed you all a properly-written story. I'm also quite proud of the intricately-woven plot I had going for this story before I lost all motivation so I decided to suck it up and recycle it, clean it up and entertain you all. Nonetheless, I'd love to hear your opinions, and I hope you all hang on for the ride!**


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